News: 5 things to watch at the MassGOP convention

Friday, May 20, 2022

5 things to watch at the MassGOP convention

May 20, 2022

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ELEPHANTS IN THE ROOM — No Charlie Baker and Karyn Polito, no problem. Republicans will gather to anoint their new standard bearers at Saturday's MassGOP convention at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. Here's what to look for:

DONE DIEHL — Donald Trump-endorsed former state Rep. Geoff Diehl will likely walk away with his party's endorsement for governor. But whether that's by a landslide or a smaller margin will show his strength with the GOP base beyond polls.

BALLOT BATTLE — Candidates need 15 percent support from delegates to get on the primary ballot. Diehl's rival, Chris Doughty, isn't exuding confidence about his prospects.

"We're on the edge," Doughty said on Bloomberg Baystate Business yesterday. "We have some commitments from folks, certainly. But a lot of them, you know, show up to the convention and vote how they feel. … I'm calling up until the last minute asking to get on the ballot."

SPLIT TICKET — Diehl and Doughty both have running mates in former state Reps. Leah Cole Allen and Kate Campanale, respectively. But delegates could shake up those pairs by, for instance, endorsing Campanale for lieutenant governor and Diehl for governor.

THE FOUR I's — " Inflation, immigration, indoctrination [in schools] and infanticide." Those are Chair Jim Lyons' top issues heading into the convention. Speakers Thomas Homan, a former ICE acting director and Trump "border czar," and anti-abortion advocate David Bereit are primed to hit on at least two of those topics. And Lyons told Playbook that Beacon Hill Democrats' stalling on tax relief is "the reason that we're going to have some traction in November."

Republicans can rally behind tax relief. But social issues — particularly abortion — could prove divisive in an already fractious party prone to public infighting.

RIGHT FOOT FORWARD — Speaking of division, the MassGOP has for years been split between conservative Lyons and moderate Baker. Without Baker as a moderate anchor and Trump repudiator, look to see whether candidates and delegates shift right and embrace (or further embrace) the former president.

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. A top Democrat from Massachusetts is calling for tax relief before the end of June. Problem is, he's the governor of New Jersey.

Garden State residents "should expect a historic level of property tax relief and reduction" with that state's tax revenue forecast to surge, Baker's Needham High and Harvard classmate Phil Murphy told reporters while in Boston yesterday for a National Governors Association event.

Baker is still waiting for that same level of commitment from Democrats here. Though both House and Senate leaders have expressed interest in tax relief, details have yet to emerge, leaving the Republican saying: "I really do hope that between now and the time the session ends in July, I have a chance to sign a tax relief package."

Gov. Charlie Baker at NGA event

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker speaks at a National Governors Association event in Boston on May 19, 2022. | Lisa Kashinsky/POLITICO

TODAY — Baker speaks at a housing development groundbreaking at 9:30 a.m. in Mattapan and delivers the Quincy College commencement address at 11 a.m. Polito is the New England Law commencement speaker at 11 a.m. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu attends an EPA press conference on zero-emission school bus rebates at 8 a.m. and holds a West Roxbury coffee hour at 9:30 a.m. AG Maura Healey is on GBH's "Boston Public Radio" at 11 a.m.; Labor Secretary Marty Walsh is on at noon. Rep. Jake Auchincloss hosts U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona at Milford High School at 9:45 a.m. Rep. Lori Trahan hosts Cardona at 1:30 p.m. at Lowell High School.

THIS WEEKEND — Walsh is the Endicott College commencement speaker on Saturday. Faces of COVID creator and 90 West founder Alex Goldstein is on WBZ's "Keller @ Large" at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. AG hopeful Andrea Campbell is on WCVB's "On the Record" at 11 a.m. Sunday.

Tips? Scoops? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com. And go Celtics!

A message from PhRMA:

Thousands of scientists in Massachusetts are creating ground-breaking treatments to fight everything from the common cold to cancer. Gov. Charlie Baker's bill would let the government set prices on medications, limiting the amount of research scientists can do to create cures. More importantly, it might make some medications harder to get. Gov. Baker: let the scientists do their jobs, don't discriminate against patients, and stop threatening access to medications. Go to SupportMassCures.com to learn more.

CAMPAIGN MODE

— ENDORSEMENT ALERTS: Speaking of conventions, endorsements are flying ahead of the Democrats' gathering in June.

The Massachusetts AFL-CIO endorsed state attorney general Maura Healey for governor, Shannon Liss-Riordan for attorney general, Bill Galvin for reelection as secretary of state and state Sen. Diana DiZoglio for auditor.

Healey also won the support of EMILY's List. But the nod from the prominent abortion rights group that spends big to elect Democratic women prompted rebuke from state Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz and her supporters.

"In this historic all-women race where both candidates have strong pro-choice records, it's frustrating to see another establishment organization discount the only woman of color in their endorsement process," Chang-Díaz spokeswoman Kaitlyn Solares said in a statement.

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins has been endorsed for reelection by state Sens. Nick Collins, Will Brownsberger, Sal DiDomenico and Lydia Edwards; state Reps. Ed Coppinger, Kevin Honan, Rob Consalvo, Nika Elugardo, Dan Ryan, Mike Moran, Adrian Madaro, Dan Hunt and Chynah Tyler; Boston City Council President Ed Flynn and Councilors Frank Baker, Erin Murphy and Gabriela Coletta; Register of Probate Felix Arroyo; former councilors Sal LaMattina and Mark Ciommo, and former Suffolk DA Dan Conley.

— "Second Suffolk senate hopefuls make case at progressive forum," by Jennifer Smith, Dorchester Reporter: "Four candidates jostling for the recently redrawn Second Suffolk state senate seat participated in a largely congenial forum this week that drew out only slight differences between them on policy and left the distinctions largely to their backgrounds. Roxbury pastor and lawyer Rev. Miniard Culpepper, state representatives Nika Elugardo and Liz Miranda, and former state senator Dianne Wilkerson made their cases in the Thursday night forum."

— "Finegold has a Republican opponent in November," by Dave Rogers, Eagle-Tribune: "Coffee chain owner and former Navy SEAL Sal DeFranco announced last week he will be challenging state Sen. Barry Finegold, D-Andover, for the Second Essex and Middlesex District seat this fall."

— "GOP candidate for Congress hurls racial slurs at Brockton activist in text exchange," by Chris Helms, Brockton Enterprise: "A Congressional candidate called a well-known Brockton activist racial slurs in a private text exchange. Ollie Spears and Hamilton Rodrigues are both men of color. Spears, a Democrat, shared with The Enterprise a long text thread between him and Rodrigues, a Republican aiming to unseat U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, a Democrat representing the Eighth District."

THE LATEST NUMBERS

— "Boston reports 'significant increase' in COVID cases, hospitalizations; Massachusetts reports nearly 5,000 new cases," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "The 4,957 daily virus cases in Massachusetts was down from 5,576 reported cases last Thursday, but testing dropped 19.5% from last week."

— "Mass. reports 14,878 new coronavirus cases among public school students and 4,090 among staff," by Adria Watson, Boston Globe: "The 18,968 total cases were 1,545 more, or about 9 percent more, than those reported last week, according to data published by the state."

— "Town-by-town COVID-19 data in Massachusetts," by Ryan Huddle and Peter Bailey-Wells, Boston Globe.

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DATELINE BEACON HILL

— "New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy says Massachusetts should legalize sports betting: 'I'd do it'," by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: "New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday enthusiastically endorsed Massachusetts lawmakers seeking to legalize sports betting in the commonwealth, as a long-awaited wagering bill is now in a conference committee for House and Senate members to hash out conflicting provisions."

— "Casino trade group's verdict on effort to exclude college games from Mass. sports betting bill: 🐬" by Michael Silverman, Boston Globe: "The casino gaming industry's national trade group urged Massachusetts legislators to include three components in any sports betting bill: permitting betting on college sports, allowing for less restrictive advertising, and adopting reasonable tax rates. The three areas of concern cited by the American Gaming Association stem from the Senate bill passed last month, a version that differs markedly from what passed last summer in the House at roughly half the tax rate and with college sports betting included."

— "Negotiators Strike Quick Compromise On License Bill," by Chris Lisinski, State House News Service (paywall): "Only a few hours after Senate leaders made their picks for a conference committee to iron out a final bill with the House, the panel submitted a final proposal that would make Massachusetts one of more than a dozen states where legal status is not a factor in authorization to drive."

— "POST Commission again delays release of police complaint records," by Sarah Betancourt, GBH News: "The state agency charged with setting up certification standards for officers and investigating abuse claims is again putting off the release of 4,500 disciplinary records from over 300 police departments. The Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission is worried that the data includes redundant or missing names and complaints, with multiple entries for officers who moved from department to department, according to interviews and a Thursday commission meeting."

— "State poised to repeal 'war on drugs' tax law," by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: "Beacon Hill leaders are quietly moving to do away with one of the last vestiges of the War on Drugs by repealing a seldom-used tax on illegal sales of marijuana and other substances that went up in smoke several decades ago."

— "COVID relief payments: Massachusetts will send $500 payments to 330,000 residents, essential workers next month," by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: "Some 330,000 Massachusetts residents should expect to receive $500 payments in June, the Baker administration said Thursday as it announced the second round of the COVID-19 Essential Employee Premium Pay Program."

A message from PhRMA:

VAX-ACHUSETTS

— "Amid new surge, Gov. Charlie Baker resists mask mandate call, says COVID is 'akin to the flu'," by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: "Gov. Charlie Baker touted Massachusetts' high vaccination rate — including among vulnerable residents at greater risk of developing serious coronavirus-related complications — as he again resisted calls Thursday to reinstate COVID-19 safeguards to tamp down the commonwealth's rising caseload."

— "With COVID-19 cases on the rise, Boston health officials urge residents to take precautions," by Martin Finucane, Boston Globe.

FROM THE HUB

— "Michelle Wu was asked about Patrick Rose's internal affairs file. Her answer raises more questions," by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: "It was an admission that raised more questions: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, speaking on a local news show last weekend, implied she was prevented from accessing the full, unredacted internal affairs report of Patrick M. Rose, the former Boston police officer and union president, who last month pleaded guilty to molesting half a dozen children over several decades. … Since then, her administration has declined to answer questions from the Globe about why she could not read the unredacted report. It's a notable departure for a politician who rode to the corner office in City Hall on pledges of transparency and good government, and promises to overhaul Boston's troubled Police Department. ... Moreover, several experts say they can see no legal reason why Wu wouldn't be able to see the full report."

— "Crime, arrests up on Mass and Cass this year, police say," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "[Lt. Peter] Messina, head of the outreach unit and general police response in the the area known for its open-air drug market, laid out the numbers in a call to community members on Thursday — showing 'violent crime' up 26% and arrests jumping 77%."

— "Governors meet in Boston on importance of STEM education," by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: "Seven state governors met in Boston Thursday to hear from a panel of experts and educators on the importance of STEM education for their states and our nation's future. 'It's a national security issue for our country. Whether you are looking at the need for cybersecurity protection or you are looking at supply chain shortages, we have to have those that have a background in computer science coming out of our high schools that are looking for solutions for America,' [NGA Chair and] Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson told reporters after hearing from the panel."

— "Mayor Wu announces members of Black Men and Boys Commission," by Marta Hill, Boston.com.

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— "All new Orange Line trains taken out of service," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "One of the MBTA's new Orange Line trains became disabled when it experienced a problem with one of its braking units on Thursday, prompting the transit authority to remove all other new Orange Line trains from service until the cause of the problem is determined."

DAY IN COURT

— "Suspect in Whitey Bulger murder has been in solitary ever since," by Shelley Murphy, Boston Globe: "More than 3½ years after notorious gangster James 'Whitey' Bulger was beaten to death by inmates within hours of his arrival at a federal prison in West Virginia, no one has been charged with his murder and federal authorities have not released any information about the investigation. But ever since the Oct. 30, 2018, slaying at US Penitentiary Hazelton, one inmate eyed as a suspect has been held in solitary confinement, locked up for 23 hours a day in conditions that his son and lawyer contend are inhumane and punitive."

— "US Attorney Rachael Rollins reveals why she's recused from the Shelley Joseph case," by Alexi Cohan, GBH News: "In 2019, Newton District Court Judge Shelley Joseph was indicted for helping an undocumented immigrant sneak out of a courthouse to avoid being detained. U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Rachael Rollins is recused from the case, and she told Jim Braude on Greater Boston that it all boils down to litigation she initiated when she was Suffolk County District Attorney."

— "Holyoke City Councilor Wilmer Puello-Mota returned to Rhode Island to face forgery, obstruction, child porn charges," by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican: "Ward 2 City Councilor Wilmer E. Puello-Mota will be arraigned Friday in Warwick, Rhode Island, on charges of forgery and obstruction of the judicial system stemming from his arrest last year on charges of possession of child pornography."

HAPPENING WEDNESDAY—A WOMEN RULE TALK ON THE MIDTERMS : Join POLITICO'S Women Rule for a conversation with the women running the midterm campaigns and how they are shaping messaging and strategy for their candidates. The program will look into what a win for either party could mean for access to reproductive health care, economic advancement of women, and how the final stages of the Covid-19 pandemic are managed. REGISTER HERE.

WARREN REPORT

— "Klobuchar, Warren introduce bill to provide $20 billion for election administration," by Alexander Bolton, The Hill: "Senate Rules Committee Chairwoman Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Wednesday introduced a bill to provide $20 billion in federal funding to help states and localities to administer elections, train poll workers and eliminate barriers to voting."

CENSUS CHRONICLES

— OOPSIES: The 2020 census overcounted people in eight states, including Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and undercounted people in six states, according to a new report . Turns out the 7,029,917 Bay Staters tallied in 2020 were overcounted by more than 2 percent. But the new data won't change states' representation in Congress or in the Electoral College.

FROM THE 413

— "'This is not who we are': Greenfield residents denounce city's response to racial discrimination verdict," by Mary Byrne, Greenfield Recorder: "A significant portion of public comments at the City Council meeting Wednesday evening centered on a recent verdict that found the Greenfield Police Department racially discriminated against a former police officer."

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— "On campus, the next generation of antiabortion activists is optimistic about what's to come," by Laura Krantz, Boston Globe: "For student activists such as [Katelyn] Regan, advocating against abortion on campuses in New England can be a lonely calling. She and others said they feel stigmatized, misunderstood, and even hated. … Yet the leaked decision, and the prospect of significant change after almost a half-century of protest, has also provided a rush of momentum and excitement for the antiabortion movement."

— "Hospital profits pick up in 2021, mostly on asset values," by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: "A preliminary report by the Center for Health Information and Analysis on fiscal 2021, released Thursday, finds that overall hospital profitability in the state was 6 percent – meaning hospitals' revenue was 6 percent higher than their expenses – an increase of 2.9 percentage points over last year."

A message from PhRMA:

Massachusetts is a booming biotech ecosystem. Its scientists and researchers are developing ground-breaking treatments to fight everything from the common cold to cancer.

Gov. Charlie Baker's bill imposes government prices on medications, which would then limit the amount of research scientists can do to create lifesaving treatments. By setting medication prices, it also means politicians decide which patients and diseases are more important than others.

State bureaucrats should not be playing doctor. When the government imposes artificial prices from the top-down, some patients can lose access to their medications. Seniors, the disabled, and the chronically ill are most vulnerable to these policies.

Gov. Baker: let the scientists and doctors do their jobs, don't discriminate against patients, and stop threatening access to medications. Go to SupportMassCures.com to learn more.

MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

— "National GOP committee pulls NH ad critical of Hassan," by Josie Albertson-Grove, Union Leader: "An ad from the National Republican Senatorial Committee slamming Sen. Maggie Hassan's record on the gas tax was pulled from local cable stations Thursday, over a misstatement about the impact Hassan's policy had on prices."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to UMass Journalism's Kathy Roberts Forde, CTP Boston's Corey Welford, HUD regional administrator and former state Rep. Juana Matias, Allison Goldberg, Kathy Giles, Matt Solberg, Charlotte Zanecchia, Bill Broadway and Joe Schatz (father of his namesake and POLITICO executive editor in D.C.). Happy belated to State House News Service scribe Katie Lannan.

HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to Seth Klarman, Edelman's Amy Larkin Long, Beth Dozoretz, and Lacey Rose, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers Kristen Orthman, Methuen state Rep. Linda Dean Campbell, Noah Feldman, CommonWealth Magazine's Shira Schoenberg, Casey Pease, Juli Hanscom, Mary Dooe, Christina Prignano Deering of the Boston Globe, Oren Cass and former Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman.

NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: THE DEAL ON THE BUS — MBTA bus network redesign project manager Caroline Vanasse joins hosts Jennifer Smith and Lisa Kashinsky to map out the new and improved routes. South Shore Health infectious diseases director and chief of medicine Dr. Todd Ellerin dives into the latest Covid-19 data. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud.

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